MD Notebook Gets a Renewal: New Dot Grid Sizes, New Pens, and a Bold New Direction for MD PRODUCT

If you've been searching for information about the Midori MD notebook — now officially called the MD Notebook by MD PRODUCT — you're in the right place. Whether you've been writing in one for years or you're only just discovering it: here's everything you need to know about the brand renewal and what's new.

From Paper to Purpose: What is MD PRODUCT?

MD PRODUCT began with a single sheet of paper — MD PAPER — created in the 1960s. Over decades of working closely with that paper, the brand discovered something deeper than paper itself: the irreplaceable value of the act of writing.

That value is what MD PRODUCT calls Yohaku — a Japanese word meaning a margin, a pause, a space for reflection. It's the precious moment of facing yourself: arranging thoughts, expressing genuine sensibility, and slowing down. The brand is now evolving from a paper brand into something broader: a brand that cultivates Yohaku in the heart — through tools, spaces, and experiences.

Why the Renewal? A New Logo and a Clearer Identity

If you've known this brand under names like "MD paper" or "Midori MD," you might have noticed things are getting a little cleaner. The official brand name is MD PRODUCT, its flagship paper is MD PAPER, and its beloved notebooks are the MD Notebook range.
Alongside the renewal comes a new logo. The new MD PRODUCT logo embodies the brand's determination to step into realms beyond paper, its unwavering dedication to artisanship, and its commitment to evolving the brand in a simpler, clearer direction.

What's New: MD Notebook Dot Grid Expands to Three Sizes

One of the most exciting additions in the renewal is the expansion of the dot grid MD Notebook lineup. The beloved dot grid format — perfect for bullet journaling, sketching, and free-form note-taking — is now available in three sizes:
A7 — pocket-sized, for capturing ideas on the go
A6 — compact and versatile, a favourite for everyday carry
B6 Slim — a slender format ideal for those who prefer a longer, narrower page

Each MD Notebook is made with MD PAPER — the same paper engineered so ink permeates naturally, letting handwriting and drawings settle smoothly onto the page. The texture, the glide of the nib, even the sound of writing: every element is crafted to enrich the writer's experience.

The White Page: A Blank Canvas, Literally

There's something MD Notebook users talk about again and again: the moment you open it. No branding on the page. No distracting lines demanding a certain kind of thinking. Just a completely white expanse — clean, quiet, and yours.

This isn't an accident. The design of every MD PRODUCT item is built around creating space. The MD Notebook's blank opening page is a deliberate choice — one that doesn't interfere with your sensibility before you've even picked up your pen. It's the blank canvas taken quite literally: an invitation rather than an instruction.
For dot grid users, the new sizes carry that same restraint. The dots guide without dictating. The white space around them remains generous. It's a format that works for structured planning and free-form wandering equally — whatever you bring to the page.

Introducing the New MD PRODUCT Pens

The renewal also brings new pens to the MD PRODUCT family — tools designed with the same philosophy as the notebooks: refined by subtraction, with nothing superfluous, and everything calibrated to make the act of writing as comfortable and genuine as possible. Details on specific nib sizes and ink types will be shared soon.

A Note on MD Light Notebooks

As part of this renewal, the MD Light Notebooks — a set of three staple-bound cahiers — will be discontinued. If you've loved them, now is a good time to stock up while supplies last.

The Philosophy Behind MD PRODUCT: Three Pillars

The MD PRODUCT brand renewal is grounded in three commitments:
1. A creative outlet for expression. Through stationery and paper-based tools designed to make writing genuinely enjoyable.
2. Space to unwind and reflect. Products and desk interior pieces that engage the senses and support environments of Yohaku.
3. Experiences that foster authenticity. Events and spaces where people can express themselves freely and feel genuinely at ease.

That last pillar — space to unwind and reflect — hints at something wider. MD PRODUCT is beginning to think beyond the desk, exploring how the Yohaku philosophy might extend into the objects and rituals that surround the act of writing. Nothing to announce just yet, but it's a direction worth watching.

Whether You're on Page One or Page One Thousand

One thing we've noticed about MD Notebook users: they tend to stay. The first notebook leads to a second. The second leads to a format in a different size. Years pass, and the relationship with the paper deepens — the way any relationship does when it's built on something genuine.

If you're a long-time fan, this renewal is a new chapter in something you already know well. If you're arriving for the first time — perhaps through a recommendation, a rabbit hole, or a search — welcome. You're not late. The MD Notebook has a way of becoming a long-term companion, and there's no better moment to start than now.

Browse the new MD Notebook dot grid sizes and the new MD PRODUCT pens — and find the format that will travel with you.